Fisheries and food
security

Fishing
for shrimp in MexicoFAO/20326/J.
Spaull

Fish contribute a significant amount
of animal protein to the diets of people
worldwide. It is estimated that between 15 and
20 percent of all animal proteins come from aquatic
animals. Fish is highly nutritious and serves as a
valuable supplement in diets lacking essential
vitamins and minerals.

The world's oceans, lakes and rivers are
harvested by artisanal fishers who provide vital
nourishment for poor communities, not only in
Africa and Asia, but also in many parts of Latin
America and islands in the Pacific and Indian
oceans. Of the 30 countries most dependent on fish
as a protein source, all but four are in the
developing world.

Not only is fish a vital food, it is also a
source of work and money for millions of people
around the globe. In 1996, an estimated 30 million
men and women were deriving an income from
fisheries. An overwhelming majority of them - some
95 percent - were in developing countries.

The developing countries are also taking a
growing share of the international trade in fish
and fishery products. This may have both benefits
and drawbacks. While the exports earn them valuable
foreign exchange, the diversion of fish and fish
products from local communities and developing
regions can deprive needy people, including
children, of a traditionally cheap, but highly
nutritious food.